Last weekend I was in the balcony of one of the parishes I serve, warming up before mass. I looked at the front of the church and took an inventory of the decor: harvest display in front of the altar; Advent wreath beside the ambo; AND the usual bevy of bouquets surrounding the high altar. The flowers were toned down in scale for Advent, but Christmas-inspired in color. It reminded me of my musical life right now: a bit crowded and off-kilter, but alive!

I hope that in the long and sometimes wearying process of reopening you are finding your own joy and color. And whatever holidays you celebrate, please do join the chapter for our musical Christmas party at PLU’s Lagerquist concert hall. I look forward to seeing and hearing you on Dec 20th!

Kudos to Tom Clark, David Dahl, Paul Fritts, and Susan Fritts McConnell for a successful chapter event last month at Wesley Homes. It’s really inspiring to see and hear a new organ, plus learn how it came to be in its new home. We have a chance for similar inspiration at this month’s chapter meeting at St. John’s Episcopal, Gig Harbor. I hope to see you for “An Organ Odyssey” on November 15th!

Dear chapter members,

This month it is wonderful to finally be able to celebrate the (cautious) return of live music! I am finding myself both exhausted and renewed by playing actual rehearsals and planning service music for actual people. I hope you are finding your own balance in these changing times, and encourage you to avail yourself of the calendar on the website to find ways to safely experience live organ music. Here’s a quick list of what’s on for October:

Oct 10: Organ Dedication Concert (Agnus Dei Lutheran Church, Gig Harbor)

Oct 18: Chapter Meeting (Wesley Homes, Des Moines)

Oct 22: Vierne Project (Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, Olympia)

Oct 31: Organ Vespers (Epiphany Parish, Seattle)

I recently started serving as interim music director at a church where I’m an associate organist. The music director had left abruptly, and the music staff has been on edge because of that and some preceding months of frayed communications due to the pandemic. So, I organized a music staff meeting, and invited the pastor to address them and answer questions.

The pastor began by affirming that everyone is still employed, the music program is valued, and that “a beautiful space should have beautiful music”. He also hinted that in the future, the range of musical style in the program might be broadened. In some situations that might strike terror in the heart of an organist, but for this particular early music-focused program, it’s more of a question of life after Mozart. One of the staff asked, “So we could sing something written last week?” And he replied, “If it’s beautiful”.  

That answer can be seen as simplistic, but I love that it was free from dogma; free from treating music as a commodity to attract market segments; and free from lading music with the burden of addressing society’s ills. It’s very hard right now to advocate for beauty, and yet as musicians it’s our goal and our fuel.

Many folks are emerging from the pandemic’s enforced sabbatical with greater clarity on what is beautiful in their lives, and what beauty they would like to create. I hope this is true for you, and that we can all carry this newfound awareness into the times ahead.

Dear chapter members,

I work for a variety of organizations who are all figuring out how to plan for 2021/22 during this still-uncertain time in public health. Some are tentatively reopening; some are planning to tentatively reopen; and some are firmly welcoming back in-person music. It’s a challenge to adapt to changing information and policies, particularly when the music is often run by and for groups of volunteers. They do not always pivot quickly!

One challenge at the Episcopal church where I am music director, is reminding folks that there are unvaccinated souls all around them—children under twelve. I am constantly on the lookout for useful language regarding mask policies, and I plan to appropriate a couple of sentences from a recent email from PLU’s Office of the President:

This week, the CDC, Gov. Jay Inslee, and the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department announced their recommendations that individuals who are vaccinated mask indoors in some circumstances to help mitigate the spread of the COVID-19 Delta variant in Washington, including in Pierce County.

As community members concerned about our role in public health overall, we encourage vaccinated Lutes to follow this guidance and mask up whenever you are in public indoor spaces or are unaware of the vaccination status of those around you. Masks add another layer of protection to what vaccination has already given you, so whether you’re vaccinated or not, masking up helps prevent transmission.

Your AGO board is fervently hoping to have in-person meetings this year, but of course it depends on public health guidelines. We have some great ideas for the program year, and will publicize them when we know for sure what is safe! For now: please save the date for a Welcome Back Picnic, in the lovely garden of David Dahl’s home in Parkland. I hope to see you on Monday, Sept 13th, between 4:30 and 7:30 PM. Until then—wishing a safe, and lovely, rest of the summer!